» 16 Children and Moving In Options

[BocaChic]

There is a reason there are child labor laws in the US.

Well they never said that the kids were forced to do any of that work, I'm sure they mainly watched and helped with small things and when they got bored they went away and played with the younger kids....When I was a kid I got to do stuff like that.

[jhawksgirl]

Well they never said that the kids were forced to do any of that work

Actually, they did say that the house building was mandatory particpation. That's how they justified it as a homeschool project. Furthermore, the fact that everyone had their own power drill would seem to suggest that this was a little more than just a play opportunity. And, in the end, as far as OSHA would be concerned, it wouldn't matter. The contractor who was supervising the building should have, by standards and law, reported the Duggar's safety errors and made them require hardhats, tied back hair, and other safety measures.

Someoe had to sign off on the site and construction. Must be nice to have a few contractors and "Fears-the-Interior-Designer" (that's his new Indian name) in your pocket.

[technoasis]

The contractor who was supervising the building should have, by standards and law, reported the Duggar's safety errors and made them require hardhats, tied back hair, and other safety measures.

Someoe had to sign off on the site and construction.

Not necessarily -- it depends on the city/county regulations. If the land was far enough back in the country, it's very likely that no plans had to be filed.

[Meryaten]

Well they never said that the kids were forced to do any of that work, I'm sure they mainly watched and helped with small things and when they got bored they went away and played with the younger kids....When I was a kid I got to do stuff like that.

Maybe the younger kids weren't forced to work on the house... maybe. But the older kids were undoubtedly expected to. And whether they were expected to work or not, the younger kids were on the jobsite (doubtless supervised only by buddies, many of whom were not old enough to be on the jobsite unsupervised themselves), and the girls of all ages were in dresses, with their crowning glory flying free. NOT SAFE. If they were going to be there, they should have been properly supervised (by ADULTS) and wearing jeans, sensible tops, and steel-toed boots. (But I guess it's hard to get those used, in kids' sizes, from Goodwill) Gotta wonder at the IQ of JB and OJB not to realise that. And heck, I have to question the integrity of the film crew and Discovery too for not stepping in to prevent that level of lunacy.

I wish the Duggar brood did get to do stuff like other kids do. Or rather that the "older" ones did. But once you're old enough for a younger buddy, it's bye bye childhood and a big heeeellooo to indentured servitude.

btw, just love how the left sidebar of their new website is entirely dedicated to links to their media coverage! Famewhore, much!

Free Jinger! (And Jana, Jill and Jessa! And heck, better put a word in for Joy-Anna - at 8, she's surely gettin' to be grown up enough to carry her weight)

ETA: sorry - I typed slowly and you beat to me to the punch on all points, jhawksgirl.
(and "Fears-the-Interior-Designer" - roflmao)

This post has been edited by Meryaten: Apr 24, 2006 @ 4:54 pm.

[Selma04]

And these parents most likely sow more into their children than most children so why would you say otherwise?

I strenuously disagree with this. Most parents put far more time and energy and love and care into their children than the Duggars. The Duggar kids get five months with mommy and then they're passed off to their buddy. These children get very little individual attention or the kind of nurturing required to enable them to live up to their full potential. And they're being denied normal socialization that would enable them to function in the bigger world if they choose to. Just because there are worse, more neglectful parents in the world doesn't make the Duggar parents good.

Well they never said that the kids were forced to do any of that work

I doubt they were forced to do anything, but as Pity Free was saying, it's the fact that they were even there on the work site with their flowing dresses, loose hair, and improper shoes, and so on. That could be the cause of a serious injury even if the kids weren't forced to operate the drills. I personally couldn't get past those young boys walking around on the roof without any type of safety lines. There's a building going up outside my window at work, and all of the mature, experienced workmen have lines that go around their waists and around the girders. I've never seen anyone walking around without any safety equipment at all.

ETA: Meryaten beat me to making essentially the same point. Because I'm slow.

This post has been edited by Selma04: Apr 24, 2006 @ 4:18 pm.

[SuzanneDeAZ]

I love to snark, but only about reality (or at least close to it), not uninformed speculation.

That is what I find so common on most of the posts that are so critical. They have NO clue. They just assume that certain things are the way they are. They can not show every little detail of their lives on a one hour show.

[eenie]

That is what I find so common on most of the posts that are so critical. They have NO clue. They just assume that certain things are the way they are. They can not show every little detail of their lives on a one hour show.

But you're also making assumptions, in that what is portrayed on the show doesn't show the entire picture and that it doesn't represent the Duggars.
Also, I'm a firm believer in that you open yourself up for this kind of criticism when you allow your family to go on national television. This is Television Without Pity, so yes, people are going to be critical, perhaps more critical than others, but when I talk to people outside of this website about the Duggars, they often echo the sentiments.

And hey, what with the new special coming out, we will soon get to see several more hours in addition to what we've already seen. Count me in as being oddly excited about that!

This post has been edited by eenie: Apr 24, 2006 @ 4:30 pm.

[Cleopatra Nik]

Well, reality show limitations being what they may, I think that the Duggars are fame-whoring in a way. I mean the last article posted about them ("The Duggar Debate") made an interesting point. Up until the shows started they lived in a small house. Now they live in a big house. Coincidence? I think a lot of what they say and what they do contradict. I was dying (yes dying) to hear the oldest make more of the fact that mom and dad were his age when they started procreating.

Also, is the Holy Church of the Basement thing real or is it a snark term? I've been trying to figure that out but can't.

[jhawksgirl]

Also, is the Holy Church of the Basement thing real or is it a snark term? I've been trying to figure that out but can't.

It's a very real thing. JimBob talks about their "church" in all three episodes of the Duggar drama. The people who moved them into the rental house were all members of their church. The family they went ice skating with are members of their church. They built the commercial kitchen and large "meeting room" to accomodate the church. I don't know that it's called "Church of the Holy Basement", but JimBob and another man have founded their own church (as an offshoot of a bigger religious organization).

[SuzanneDeAZ]

frozen burrito in the store? Did they really need cases of ice cream and a whole shelf of V8 juice? Of course since they don’t seem to buy and fresh fruits or veggies maybe they don’t have to go to the store that often and just stock up a few times a month.

When they have only a one hour show they are not going to show clips of evey move they are going to do. Mr. Duggar said in one of the earlier shows that they go shopping twice a month at this store. I am sure it made an interesting clip to show the family as a whole go shopping with the countless shopping carts and all of the older kids helping. It would have been a bore to take a clop of Mr. Duggar bringing home the daily milk and fresh produce he said he brings in almost daily.

As far as the pantry being full it just seems this is how the family likes to operate. It seems they like to have a pantry full just like they like to have a "quiver full".

Yeah, I expected that the old furniture would be incorporated into their new house somehow and new furniture added. However, it all looked brand new, right down to the vases full of fake flowers and the bedding on the beds.

I remember the father saying on the last show as they were moving in their new home that they have been frugal for years and never put money into "fixing up" their homes as they were savings to have all the "extras" in their new dream home. Since this home has been in their plans for years there is no doubt that they have saved for this new home. He even mentioned having someone coming in and decorating it professionally, which no doubt was provided for them as part of the contract with TLC.

Some of you act as if they got the entire home and all of the trimmings done for free with the making of the shows. I am sure they did get a lot of the newer things but they went without for years and saved and planned on having a newer, nicer place after years of going without.

[Meryaten]

Oh good grief - has anyone read the saccharin-sweet article that went out on CBS's Early Show website in 2002 about this lot (of course, linked famewhore-ishly from their website)?

The little ones have their responsibilities, too. Joseph fetches the laundry. Then, Jill and Joy-Anna take their turn washing clothes the girls have made themselves.

Josiah takes out the trash, while his brother, John, trains the dog, Jasmine.

Dibs on John's jurisdiction!

How do they afford it? Jim Bob Duggar made some smart investments, and they're pretty frugal. The Duggars shop in bulk, basketfuls at a time.

Uh, buying 200 individual frozen burritos doth not "buying in bulk" make. Sounds as much a crock as the "Buy used and save the difference" line - pap to promote an image.

Jim Bob Duggar says he has something very special planned for Mother's Day. Michelle says if that means he's cooking, she'll have quite a mess to clean up when he's done.

Unlikely - J'males don't do J'women's work. And why would OfJimBob ever clean anything when she has an army of J'girls to do it all for her?!

And last - maybe some of you with kids can help me on this one - why do they need so many washers? Why do they do so many loads of washing? MrAten and I do about a load a week between us, maybe a little more. I know kids tend to make for more, but I've seen various quotes and all are around 10 loads/day! On a per person basis, that's 7 times what we do. Wonder if some of the little buddies have a bed-wetting issue...

[Pity Free]

And last - maybe some of you with kids can help me on this one - why do they need so many washers? Why do they do so many loads of washing? MrAten and I do about a load a week between us, maybe a little more.

I hate to defend the Duggars, but I live alone and do multiple loads each week -- bed linens, towels, whites, darks, delicates, workout clothes, etc. And if you have a baby in the house, laundry multiplies even more -- because you are constantly getting baby food, drool, spit-up, "potty accidents", etc. on yourself and the baby. The babies I know and love get their clothing changed easily 3+ times per day. And the Duggars probably use cloth diapers.

Wonder if some of the little buddies have a bed-wetting issue...

I would have a bed-wetting issue, too, if I knew that my house had been built by second graders.

This post has been edited by Pity Free: Apr 24, 2006 @ 5:30 pm.

[SuzanneDeAZ]

Do they have some sort of beef w/ Sam's Club or Walmart? Because it just seems odd to me that 18 people in Northern Arkansas don't shop at WallyWorld. In fact, it might even be against the law up there. Or is it that WalMart won't let them film in the store, or give them free....


On an earlier show when they got bikes or when they went Christmas shopping it looks like they went to Walmart. It seems this other store gives them good deals so it is a free world so what is wrong with them making that store a store of their choice?

One thing I noticed that makes me pleased: not all of the boys have to have JimBob's mandatory hair cut anymore: some showed signs of individuality with spiked up bits of hair in front (hmm...maybe that was the sin in the camp).

i have seen this expression "sin in the camp' more than once> What does this mean and who said there was sin in their camp?

[Feberin]

If they use cloth diapers (which would probably save them a lot of money) that would definately add to it. And I would bet there would always be someone potty training or working towards staying dry all night.

[Meryaten]

From all I've seen and read, that's a big fat negatory on the cloth nappies (diapers). Check out the "Fun Facts" on Discovery - I believe there's a major landfill somewhere in Arkansas devoted solely to diapers-full-of-Duggar-doo-doo! And even if they did, what's the odds they'd manage to con some diaper service into laundering them for free ;)

Yup, babies need more changes of clothes, but their clothes are a lot smaller. Their volume just sounds like they must be washing bedclothes, towels and everything every single day. But then, why not, if you're not the one who has to do all the work. And even for 10 loads/day, doesn't 4 washers and 8 driers sound a tad excessive?

Wonder if some of the little buddies have a bed-wetting issue...

I would have a bed-wetting issue, too, if I knew that my house had been built by second graders.

ROFLMAO